There’s been no program more vocal about the Big Ten’s decision to postpone the fall football season more than the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Head coach Scott Frost came out immediately with a dissenting message that the program was aligned in looking for somewhere to play — even if it meant doing so outside the conference.
When it comes to Ohio State, though head coach Ryan Day and athletic director Gene Smith weren’t quite as vocal upfront, there wasn’t exactly a ringing endorsement for Commissioner Kevin Warren and the voting of the university presidents.
But what was going on behind the scenes? According to one Nebraska beat-writer, he says that there’s been a bond formed between the Husker and Buckeye brass. So much so that it appears Ohio State administrators were very interested in what was going on in Lincoln.
Husker Online’s Sean Callahan appeared on the Bishop and Laurinaitis Show Thursday on the ESPN affiliate 97.1 The Fan in Columbus. He said the two schools have been communicating through the whole process, most notably about the lawsuit eight Nebraska players brought against the league.
“As far as the lawsuit goes, I can tell you Ohio State had high-level officials talking to Nebraska about it behind the scenes and a lot of interest,” said Callahan. “I don’t know if they entertained doing something similar in … Ohio State and Nebraska kept fighting in this fight to get to where we’re at possibly with a re-vote on Friday.”
You can listen to the entire exchange and interview at about the 103-minute mark below.
Interesting no? It’s been clear through this shock and awe the Big Ten unleashed on everyone that Ohio State has tried to play the balancing act. It has been pushing to play and fighting for its players, while also not pouring kerosene on the bridge to the Big Ten offices in Chicagoland and wielding a blow torch in the direction of Warren.
But make no mistake. Ohio State wants to play, and it has continued to press along in a stern and discerning way.
No matter how you look at it, here we are. There continues to be some optimism in places like Columbus, Lincoln, and other locales in the conference. Optimism that there might be a reversal to some extent of waiting the virus out until spring in the Big Ten, and it looks like Buckeyes and Corn might end up making a pretty good casserole no matter how it turns out.
Who knew?
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